The Flash doesn't belong to me

The Heart Of The Matter

Iris West was unhappy. Honestly! Hadn't she proved herself already? Hadn't she shown that she was better that those puff pieces about fashion shows and dog races that her editor wanted her to keep covering?

She had paid her dues. Done every assignment that landed on her desk, all without a word – okay, so she had grumbled and complained. A lot. But who wouldn't? She had done all the work that everyone else refused to do so it was time they let her write about something she was really excited about.

Like something about all those people with superpowers that were everywhere in Central City these days. Stories about the guy in the red suit – The Flash – as he'd been coined. Stories about things that actually mattered but no. She had to go to the university and meet with a certain chemist or was it physicist who had written a book.

She loved books but the guy had written a book about physics or some equally boring subject and she had the misfortune of having to interview him and write a review for the Picture News. Oh Joy. And the worst of it all was that her article was needed by day end tomorrow.

"You need to do some research," a colleague advised her.

"I would swing by the library first and get a copy of his book," another well-meaning voice added.

Which is why Iris was currently standing in the bookstore looking for The Heart Of The Matter, the book she was supposed to write a review about. She wasn't even interested in such science-y things but her editor had just smiled and walked off.

As she made her way to the counter she bumped into someone.

"I'm sorry," the man – young, tall, good-looking – mumbled. "I wasn't looking where I was going."

"No worries," she smiled at him.

He smiled back and then started when he noticed the book she was holding.

"You're interested in quantum matter?" he asked her.

"Why?" she teased him. "Shouldn't I be?"

"No," he rubbed the back of his neck, "no."

She shrugged, "actually I'm not but I have to read this book."

"Why?"

"I have to interview the author tomorrow so I thought I'd do some research."

He nodded.

"Between you and me I don't know how I'm even going to get through the first chapter let alone all five hundred pages."

"Yeah," he shook his head slightly. "That book is quite long."

Iris grabbed his hand. "Have you read it?"

"Will you think less of me if I said that I have?" he teased her.

"No," Iris tucked her hand in his, "you'll be my hero."

"Okay," he smiled uncertainly.

"Are you busy?" she asked him. "We could get on it right now."

Barry thought of all the work he had to finish and that fact that Cisco was waiting for him back at S.T.A.R labs and that he was already running late. And more importantly that he was actually the author of the book that this amazing woman was holding and that she was supposed to interview him about it the next day. Thank God he hadn't put his picture on the cover.

"No," he shook his head.

"Great," Iris all but dragged him to the cashier. "I'm Iris, by the way."

"Barry."

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